All About Cricket Pitch Size And Dimensions

Cricket is a gentleman's game that captivates millions worldwide. If you've ever watched cricket, you've probably noticed the rectangular area where all the action takes place - that's the cricket pitch! But have you ever wondered how big it is or why it's that size?

Why Is Cricket Pitch Important?

In cricket, the pitch is the main stage where all the drama unfolds. It's where the bowler comes from one end & delivers the ball, while the batsman waits at the other end, ready to face it.

The pitch may be grassy or cracked or in between. This pitch condition determine how it will behave, will the bowlers find it easy to take wickets or will the batters have their day. Thus both teams analyse the pitch before any game and select their team considering who will perform better under these conditions.

And if they can guess the pitch behavior correctly, they can have an upper hand in the game from the very beginning. Thus reading cricket pitch is crucial for everyone. However, don't get scared. We are not going to dwell into this difficult topic here. Our article focuses on discussing the size of the cricket pitch.

But why do we need to know the size of the pitch?

When a bowler steps outside the popping crease mark while releasing the ball, it's a no-ball or not a fair delivery. When the bawled ball bounces outside return crease it is also not a fair delivery and commonly known as a wide ball. So, you must know the cricket pitch dimensions and the markings, to understand if a bowler has bowled a fair delivery, if a batter has lost their wicket and so on. So let's know more on this.

Cricket Pitch Size In Yards

The pitch is marked with lines and creases defined by the ICC guidelines which should be followed when the game is played. And the dimensions of the pitch for cricket are carefully regulated to ensure a fair contest between bat and ball.

While the cricket field has no official rules for its shape, its pitch must be rectangular. And it has a fixed length and width. Know all about cricket field size.

22 yards (20.12 m) is the standard length for a cricket pitch, with an approximate width of 10 feet (3.05 m). 

Here's a chart showing the Cricket Pitch Size In Yards with the dimensions of its components.

Too many numbers? Well, let's take a look at this image for easier understanding.

Why is it 22 yards?

A cricket pitch is 22 yards. But why this exact length? The reason behind this specific measurement dates back to the 19th century in England, when cricket was evolving as a sport.

Back then, people measured things in a unit of length called a furlong, which was like a long strip of land. A furlong was made up of 10 smaller parts called "chains." Each chain was exactly 22 yards.

This measurement came from how people used to divide and measure their land. They used to use the unit hide, the amount of land one family needed to live on and farm. A hide was divided into smaller parts called yardlands, each 22 yards wide. And the cricket pitch's length matches the width of one of these yardlands.

Basically, when cricket rules were being written down, chains were one of the few accurate ways to measure something. So, the Brits likely chose the cricket pitch length to be 22 yards because of the measuring tool "chain".

This article is written exclusively for MeasurementOf.  

Cricket Pitch Length In Feet

For convenience, we can also measure cricket pitch using the more common unit around USA, feet. The dimensions of the cricket pitch in feet are 66 feet long and 10 feet wide.

Cricket Pitch Width In Feet

While the standard width of a cricket pitch is 10 feet (3.05 m), the total width is slightly larger. During the game, the width is kept at 10 feet, but the total pitch width is 12 feet.

Pitch Of Cricket For Different Age Groups

Photo by Patrick Case on Pexels

Cricket is such a game that everyone can enjoy playing it, regardless of age. The dimensions of the cricket pitch, however, can vary depending on the age group playing. For example, in some countries, the cricket pitch size of junior cricket is different.

Cricket Pitch Length Per Age Group Chart

Cricket Wickets Dimension

In cricket, the wicket is the ultimate target of bowlers aiming to dismiss the batsman. And it's our final element here in the cricket pitch dimensions.

Cricket wickets are a set of three stumps. This is what the batter defends in the game. The components of a wicket are three stumps and bails.

Stumps: These are three vertical wooden poles, hammered into the ground to form the wicket. These stumps are approximately 28 inches tall. These are placed at equal distance from each other and in such a way that the first and third one are 9 inches apart.

Bails: Two small wooden pieces, called bails, are placed on top of the stumps. The bails dislodge when the stumps are hit, signaling that the batsman is out. Bails are typically around 4.3 inches long.

Outro

And there you have it - a comprehensive guide to cricket pitch size and dimensions! Whether you're a seasoned cricket fan or someone new to the game, understanding the dimensions of the pitch for cricket adds an extra layer of liking for this beloved sport.